Sum Hospital launches first Immunology dept in Odisha

The Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital (IMSSH), the faculty of medicine of the SOA University, has added another feather to its cap by becoming the first medical college in Odisha to launch the department of Immunology and Rheumatology.

The department was inaugurated today by Prof (Dr) Ramnath Misra, renowned Immunologist and Rheumatologist, who shed light on newer concepts on pathogenesis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Prof Misra, presently Dean and Head of Department of Immunology at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, also launched the state-of-the-art ‘Autoantibody Lab’ set up in the hospital for accurate diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful disease that affects small and large joints of human body often causing functional disability. The crippling ailment, which is known to affect women more than men, is an autoimmune disease which occurs when the body’s self immune system acts against its own joints causing damage.

Misra expressed happiness over the creation of the new department saying it would go a long way in providing relief to scores of patients as diagnosis and treatment of the disease had taken long strides in present times.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Amit Banerjee, Vice-Chancellor of SOA University, said the university was committed to create seamless synergy between technology and biosciences. The new state-of-the-art facility would come as a boon for the society, he said.

Dr Bharat Panigrahy, President of the Odisha Rheumatology Association, who attended as guest of honour on the occasion, said around 20 per cent of the population suffered from rheumatology linked disorders and little assistance was available to patients in the districts as most of the rheumatologists were converged in the capital city.

He stressed on the quality of investigation in the lab while pointing out the need for rationalization of prices keeping in view the prohibitory cost of the tests for rheumatoid arthritis.

Prof DK Ray, Medical Director of IMSSH and Dr Jyoti Ranjan Parida, Associate Professor and HoD of the new department and the first doctor from the state to obtain DM in the subject, also spoke.